In which I learn that I need to do more "situational" running...

Today started out cold, with a bitter wind, stayed that way and ended cold, with a bitter wind and some snow flurries mixed in.

We spent most of it inside, stoking the fire and wondering how the heck we get some better insulation for this house. I should have taken better notice of the fact that the car show we were watching kept mentioning P.O.S. Fords. I may have prepared us better for the afternoon feeding chores.

Husbeast had the old Ford feed truck plugged in and we headed out around 3 or so. The truck had run for a few minutes to warm up without issue. We drove down to the meadow discussing the weather and noting where the cows had hung out all day to avoid the wind. He backed up to the stack without issue and loaded round 1. We headed back to the spot that was on a small hill but out of the wind and set Weebeast up to drive while we fed. We each kicked off a bale apiece when the old Ford sputtered. Husbeast said "uh-oh...." and it died.

We tried to get it started by bleeding the lines and nothing we did wanted to work.

I told Husbeast I would run back to the house to get the Dodge. The shortest route involved crossing the creek and his boots were leather while mine were the heavy soled rubber muck boots that are water proof. I was dressed in several layers; yoga pants, jeans, 2 shirts, a vest, wool bibs and a wind-stopper coat. I took off at a trot and Husbeast hollered "you'll have to air up the left front tire!!"

I gave him the thumbs up and kept running. It didn't take long for the weight of my clothing to make my lungs start burning. I stopped after about 400 yards and shed the coat and the bibs and hung them on the gate.

I took a couple deep breaths and set off again trying to note where I could go to take the most distance out of the trip, considering the shoes I was wearing. My lungs were on fire and it occurred to me that I hadn't run outside for about a month because I had been sick and then the weather had turned colder and windier than I like. It also occurred to me that I had never run with 10 pound weights on my feet....this is when the brilliant idea of more "situational" running came to me. I'll start in the spring...

Anyway, I made it around the next bend and the house and yard were in site. I slowed to a walk again to catch my wind and cross the ditch.

Naturally, I needed to get a picture of my shoe to prove that I was indeed running with them on...

I picked my way across the first half of the creek where I could see through the ice. I stomped and broke ice to make my way to the island in the middle. The other half was more solid, but I didn't know how well it would hold me so I crouched and stepped, then slid and took another step. I made my way slowly across to the other side without landing on my toosh. And my feet were dry. Not awesome for running....super awesome for icy water crossing (must write a review on their web site....)

The pony has always been the sentinel in the mare's group and she saw me doing my best impression of an elephant running across the meadow and sounded the alarm. The mares and heifers came to the edge of the willows to watch me thump and clomp my way up the last 1/4 mile of my trek. The geldings stopped and took note of my odd behaviors and they all watched until I made it to the yard.

I fired up the air compressor and went to start the Dodge. She complained about the weather, but fired up anyway.

After making sure the tow rope was on the back and adding air to the tire, I headed out to save the day. (wouldn't this face make YOU feel safe? I thought so!)

Husbeast and Weebeast were guarding the hay load when I arrived. I backed up to the Ford and Husbeast got the tow rope in place. Then the fun started. Weebeast got in the Dodge and I got in the feed truck. Husbeast climbed on the back to finish feeding....Clearly the cows found this odd, but they stopped judging us once the hay hit the dirt in front of them.

We left the Ford where the last bale fell and carried on with our feeding chores. We still aren't 100 percent sure we know what happened, but Husbeast thinks he found where it was sucking air into the fuel lines (Greek to me, really). I towed him for one last attempt to get it to start and he was able to drive the Ford home.

Tomorrow, I'm thinking I will go ahead and bring a spare truck, you know, just in case....I'm not quite ready for situational running training just yet.